A treatise of Mr. Cottons clearing certain doubts concerning predestination together with an examination…A treatise of Mr. Cottons clearing certaine doubts concerning predestination together with an examination…

But you perceive well enough that the discourse which you answer, considered this temporal preferment (which yet had course only in their seed) only in a typical manner, as that which under temporal things prefigured spiritual, and accordingly you proceed to shape your answer thereunto in that respect also. The same is this, Though God had no purpose to deal with Esau, as he dealt with Jacob: that is, to communicate glory unto him out of grace, yet he had a purpose of communicating glory unto him some other way, and what can that be, but of communicating glory unto him, not out of grace? A very strange assertion, and therefore no marvel, you spared to set it down in so many words. Only you say, that the putting him into the state of a servant, did not reprobate him, or argue a purpose to pass him by in respect of communicating life and glory unto him. Which to my judgement doth manifestly intimate that you acknowledge in God a purpose to communicate life and glory to Esau, some way or other.

But you perceive well enough that the discourse which you answer, considered this temporall preferment (which yet had course onely in their seed) onely in a typicall manner, as that which under temporall things prefigured spirituall, and accordingly you proceed to shape your answer thereunto in that respect also. The same is this, Though God had no purpose to deale with Esau, as hee dealt with Jacob: that is, to communicate glory unto him out of grace, yet hee had a purpose of communicating glory unto him some other way, and what can that bee, but of communicating glory unto him, not out of grace? A very strange assertion, and therefore no marvell, you spared to set it down in so many words. Onely you say, that the putting him into the state of a servant, did not reprobate him, or argue a purpose to passe him by in respect of communicating life and glory unto him. Which to my judgement doth manifestly intimate that you acknowledge in God a purpose to communicate life and glory to Esau, some way or other.

And if you did acknowledge a purpose in God not to communicate life and glory at all unto him, this Aquinas confesseth, and we jointly with Aquinas, confess that it is nothing less then to hate him. For if God will have a man to be, and will not have him to be saved, surely he will have him in the end to be damned. For in the end there will be found no middle state, equally remote from salvation and damnation. But you do in plain terms acknowledge a purpose in God to deal in justice with Esau, and to give him life or death according to his works. I presume you will not avouch this of all them that you account the world of mankind. For I doubt not but you will except Infants. As for men of ripe years, is it not as true of the elect, as of those you call the men of the world, that they shall be dealt withal according